smallbore pistol and hunter pistol target differences

[j1132s]

I'm wondering if someone can tell me the weight/thickness difference between these targets (or just the weight/thickness of one of those targets).

The reason I ask is that our club just started smallbore pistol silhouette and those animals don't fall reliably when hit w/ a .22LR. There's suspicion that we may have the thicker hunter pistol targets (or maybe we are just using way underpowered .22LR cartridges

[K Danz]

The same chickens are used for both Smallbore and Hunters pistol. The thickness changes begin with the pigs. Pigs and turkeys are 1/4" thick and the rams are to be 3/16" thick for Smalbore Hunters Pistol.

[Dee]

I shoot at 1/5 scale SB silhouettes with a .22 PCP air rifle that only generates between 23-24 ft lbs of energy with a 13.9g pellet and from 66 yards (pig distance) I can knock all 4 animals off the rail no problem. The Ram does rock back and fall forward with a low hit, very odd to see a target fall towards you

So I doubt the issue is power related since most .22LR rounds even the 1050fps flavor gets around 90-100 ft lbs of energy which should be more than enough to knock them down. Even though your not likely getting the advertised velocity of the ammo using a pistol with a short barrel compared to a rifle it should still be plenty enough to get the job done.

Dee

[Jason]

We use different thickness targets for smallbore cowboy/smallbore hunter pistol and pistol cartridge cowboy/hunter pistol matches. Our pistol cartridge/hunter pistol rams fall less than half the time with good hits from standard velocity 22lr rounds and maybe 2/3 of the time at the most with high velocity 22lr rounds, even hypers like Velocitors. It's very common to have some not go down when hit well with 22Mag rounds, in fact.

[pistolero45]

I shot both Smallbore Hunter Pistol and Hunter Pistol for a lot of years. These are 1/2 size targets. The chickens are indeed the same thickness for both games. The pigs, turkeys, and rams used in Hunter Pistol are of thicker material.

I found that in Smallbore Hunter Pistol (.22 only), high velocity .22 ammo would almost always take the targets down. Very few people used standard velocity shells and I can not remember anyone using hypervelocity ammo.

In the Hunter Pistol game with thicker targets, the .22 high velocity ammo would not reliably drop pigs (if a low center hit) or rams. However, the .22 mag., .22 Hornet, and .32/20 were ideal. There is really no reason to use anything more powerful.

When I get home I will pull out my Pistol Silhouette rule book and see if it lists the thicknesses of the targets. Have fun with your shooting!

[pistolero45]

I checked my 2002 Pistol Silhouette Rule book:

In Smallbore Hunter Pistol, the rams are 3/16 inch thick, while both the pigs and the turkeys are 1/4 inch thick, and the chickens are 3/8 inch thick.

In Hunter Pistol, all animals are 3/8 inch thick.

I had not realized it until I re-read my book, but it is just the chickens which are 1/2 size. All other animals are 3/8 size. So that is why I missed so many turkeys and rams!

[Jerry G]

A HP ram will fall forward (toward you) when you hit him in the front end and spin his back feet toward you. He will pivot on his front leg. I assume that you are doing the same thing with the air rifle.